SAFE PLACE — The Indian Creek Local School District has received the Healthy Worksite Silver Award from the Healthy Business Council of Ohio for its practices during the past year. (File Photo)

WINTERSVILLE — Indian Creek Local Schools gained distinction for promoting wellness among its employees.

The school district received the Healthy Worksite Silver Award from the Healthy Business Council of Ohio for its practices during the past year. It is among 95 worksites across the state which was honored through a tiered designation program and HCBO recognizes Ohio employers who demonstrate a commitment to employee wellness through comprehensive worksite health promotion and wellness programs.

District Assistant Superintendent John Belt said officials submitted a lengthy description of the district’s practices for consideration and he was pleased to see those efforts receive notice.

“The Healthy Business Council of Ohio and Ohio Department of Health sponsor the award and we answered questions about wellness offerings and healthy food offerings to building conditions. It was a very comprehensive process,” he said. “We were recognized with the Silver Award and were only one of four public schools here in the state to receive it.”

Belt added that the district has an employee wellness program and partners with EA Wellness and Bravo through its insurance program, plus it has an employee assistant program which provides a bevy of resources for mental health, physical wellness and more.

“Our employees can contact a representative for mental health issues and can talk to a counselor about childcare and elder care or student debt issues. They can make referrals and it’s one more benefit for our employees. We felt that with the staff dealing with COVID, it was important to have something for them.”

He continued that it was the third year for the employee wellness program and second year for EAP, and both have been beneficial.

“We really enjoy working with EA Wellness because they offer challenges and (employees) can hook a personal tracker into the site. They have a Wellness University with courses people can take for diet, sleep and other assistance for free. There are also healthy recipes and our employees can get discount memberships to Weight Watchers and local gyms,” Belt said. “We take the approach that when employees are healthy, there is less absenteeism and less strain on the insurance.”

According to HCBO officials, applicants are scored on the extent their wellness programs facilitate and encourage employee health, enhance productivity and ensure a healthy work environment. Applicants earned one of four levels of high achievement for 2022: bronze, silver, gold and platinum, in addition to an entry-level tier of recognition. A pandemic response section was also included in the process to celebrate achievements of worksites to adapt amid COVID. An online award application is available to all Ohio-based worksites from mid-August through late October and all worksites, large and small, public and private, for profit and nonprofit are encouraged to apply for 2023.

The complete list of 2022 award winners Is available on HBCO’s Healthy Worksite Award website.